Valiant Hearts
by thkq1997
Summary: Untold stories of the war. [ A Doctor, A Jedi, A Civilian, A Senator, A Clone Trooper ] [ 5 Shots ] [ Ongoing ]
1. The Doctor

** Valiant Hearts **

''**Not every soldier is a soldier''**

**Part 1/5: The Doctor, The Healer, The Silent Crier**

The light found its way through the broken widow

Inside the house there was a man, sitting on the chair, waiting for the light to fade away, but the dusts keep flying in the grey light, making it like snow in a beautiful day of summer.

He just keep staring at the holo – picture on his table, a picture of a girl, and a woman, and the sound of the music generated by the holo flying in the empty space, with him the only audience

As if there is anyone there to listen to it with him, maybe a ghost perhaps?, ghosts of those he loves most, but he couldn't see them again.

The smile of the young girl in the woman's arms haunted him.

The music keeps going in, like it has no stop, and so does his thoughts, he keep thinking what he could do to save them, to save them both, but then, he is no god, he just a man with the power of saving people.

But he couldn't save them, and the music goes on, until it was interrupted by the hard knocking on the door.

He slowly stands up, and makes his to the door, opens it to reveal two men in uniforms, face dark, and one of their hands held a paper.

So is his turn now, the war was hungry for more men, for death finally calling his name, but he wasn't afraid, as if like he has something to lose.

But then, he has nothing, but the holo – picture, the music, and that smile.

Suddenly, the sound of the holo stops.

He packs the next day, nothing much, just that picture, some clothes, belongings, only in one bag, and then he glance one look at his home again, hoping to say goodbye to anyone who might have still lingered on, but the nothing but the silence bid him farewell.

The dusts just keep flying with the light.

And the lights chased him, until he reaches the speeder truck that took him to the registration center.

A young man held his hand out for him, for the truck was running, and he was late, no need to rush, so he ran and caught the man's hand in his, and up he goes.

There was a smile on the man's face, like he was eager to go, but that smile is the only smile on the speeder.

There are only two men on board, him and the young man, the light shines down to the vacant truck's seats.

The man tells stories about his home, when he was picked up last night in the nearby town, eager to go, and bring glory to his waiting family, and wife.

Promises he has made to his wife that he would be there when she gave birth to his child, the young man said he wanted to win this war, for his child to grow up in his glory of victory.

At least he has someone waiting for his returns, unlike the doctor, who was just quiet and smile.

He thought that the Republic will not come here with the army of white men, but he was wrong, the government made promises, but where are they now?, they promised the droids would help them, carrying the war for them, but now, he was putting on his uniform, a blaster rifle in his hands, and a red cross band on his right arm, a backpack filled with drugs and painkiller.

Not every soldier is a soldier.

He doesn't write any diary, because he never thought anyone would have read it, he never make a journal, he never tell his stories to anyone but to the holo picture in his hands every night under the cold rain, let the music spread across the luminous silence of the camp.

He doesn't need anyone to know his story, because he was just a small part, in this war, and he would die, soon, maybe now, tomorrow, or the time he never expected?.

But he had seen so many death of many young men, with smiles when they was about to go out there, beyond the fog of war, and return with cries of pain, and then it was just the quiet mocking his medical tent.

He doesn't cry, or haunted by the horrors of those men have to suffer, he'd seen it too much, lost an arm, lost a leg, can replace with a mechanical one, but lost half of the body, he can only watch them bleeding to death, because there was no needed equipments to save them.

Sometime, those who he help with replacing arms and legs, return in body bags, he just quiet cursed to himself, he helped death claiming those men's lives for the second time.

But it was his duty, stories they had told him before their hours arrived, sometime just about a woman, or a wife, or a family, or just a child waiting them at home for dinner, but now, as their stories become the doctor's, the left, leaving their past behind, and plead the doctor to help them apologize.

So many men to help, but so less doctor, what he could do, what just nod, and moved on to the next dying patient.

Their stories left untold.

One day, a group of soldiers rushed into his tent, carrying in their arms a white armored man, with the helmet bear the frown of a demon, that's was they said when they first saw it, and toss him down on the dirty floor made of dirt.

''Take care of this animal, the commander wants to interrogate him''

The man wears what looks like a short of cyan skirt around his waist, and some part of his amour wore the same color as the skirt, even the helmet, the doctor helps him to his feet, and slowly moves him to the make shift bed.

They said they behind those helmet hid a face of a devil, take off the helmet and that thing would kill you, but now, reality is better than myth, now he needs this man alive for interrogation, and he would probably die, but the doctor doesn't care, is was that ''thing'' that caused this whole war, like the count said.

But when the helmet was off, nothing happened, just a face of a man, a normal human, nothing more, nothing less, not a demon, but just a human, but seeing the looks of the man's face.

Just like any looks on those soldiers' faces he failed to save, it was the same, it's not a monster, but a man who have suffered.

But unlike those soldiers, this man doesn't talk much, he doesn't talk at all, just nod, and wait, the doctor taking care of him every day, until the sound of the commanding officer approaching his tent made him whisper to the white armored man.

''The commander wants to see you''

He turns away, and left the tent for he doesn't want to see it, he'd seen enough, but when his commander came out, pistol in hand, and shook his head, the commander signaled to come back inside.

And saw a line of blood coming out from the man's mount, his eyes close.

He's loyal until the end, and if necessary, dies for it.

The man had bitten his tongue.

''Loyalty until the end''

He doesn't cry, but silently put the man's corpse in the body bag, and send him to be cremated, he deserved a better death, but like any other men, who have died protected his cause.

The doctor had seen the flame erupted a thousand times, almost every day ashes lingering in the air, every day there are always someone died, their stories left untold, but today, a white armored men joined his comrades in death.

And so the story of a Republic's soldier left untold, like thousands of others.

Men come and goes, hearing death calling their names, but they charge on.

In a soldier's life here, there are only 3 papers you will ever receive, recruiting paper, reassign paper, or a death notice.

In his hand was a reassign paper, this division doesn't need him anymore, he is needed on the frontline, the last doctor in that group was killed, and he was his replacement.

The music from the Holo – picture repeating itself in his mind, and the smile helps him held on to his sanity in this world.

But the music was stop again, by a group of soldier rushed into the tent, carrying a woman in their arms.

What a woman doing here, on the frontline?

''She was running, I didn't know, I...I thought she…'' one of the young soldier spoke up first in a shaky voice.

The young boy was afraid he knows, and waves them to get out, and only the heavy breathing of the woman can be heard.

''Should we tell him?'' outside his tent there was another voice.

''No…I don't know''

He pushed it off, and focuses on saving this woman's life, but now, he is helpless.

Two black scorch marks behind her back, by now her own blood was starting to fill her lungs, and she was suffocating.

She grabs his right arm like a vise versa, almost tearing the band off, her deep black eyes stare right at his green one.

Memories suddenly from somewhere rushed back like a cold wind in winter.

''I'm Sorry….I'm sorry I was so selfish'' the woman in the holo – picture said.

It was that room again, his home, he has try everything, but when he found her it was too late, she cut her own vein in her hand, and lost too much blood, there is nothing he could do now.

He knew after his daughter was gone, his wife was devastated, but he didn't realize she would end her own life.

And she left him, her stories left with him, and that was the last time, the doctor every cry, he lost all his tears that day, and now.

''Please, take… care of …him for me'' the woman below him said, her breathing becomes heavier.

''I thought, he would ….have a better life…. if I ran to the other side, but I... was wrong, I was selfish…, and now.. I paid the …price'' Tears filled her eyes.

She was trying to defect, but she was shot.

She took the last breath, and she was gone.

Suddenly it was suffocating to stay, he left the tent, the sun light harsh on his eyes, and he stumped into a boy.

''_Take care of him for me…''_

He kneels down to the boy's eyes level.

''Where is Mama?'' The boy spoke first

''She is sick…'' He has to lie, he would let the boy knows later.

''Can I get you something to eat, your mother told me not to get you starving''

In his face, the boy grew a smile.

**A/N : Next Part : Part 2/5: A Jedi, A Warmonger, A Broken Warrior**


	2. The Jedi

** Valiant Hearts**

**Part 2/5: A Jedi/ A Warmonger/ A Broken Soldier**

''**Fear is natural, not a nature'' **

Everything was thrown into chaos

One wrong step she took, one price she has to pay.

Checkmate.

Everywhere she heard screaming, soon after, she can sense the inevitable death.

Death was around her, death was calling her name, death is coming.

She lay there, in the cold hard ground of the ongoing battle, helplessly watching men in white rushing pass her.

It was her first time, leading this forceforsaken war, and the last thing she heard was '' Ambush!''

Something in her was slipping away, she didn't sense it coming, aiming for her back.

And now death was wandering around her, her gaze blur, until a helmet came into the view.

And she felt her body was being lifted up, and dragged away.

Death was frowning….

Every face in her battalion beginning to slip away, as their force signatures beginning to fade away, until nothingness swallowed her mind.

In the blackness that covered her eyes, she still could hear the fading screams and the sound of explosion.

She was alive, but her battalion didn't.

It's like they are all vanished into thin air, with one strike, and they was gone.

And it was all her fault

And now she was being loaded into a transport, she was coming back.

Coming home, safe and sound, leave this war behind.

It was easy to say goodbye to death, even though death was not happy, it still let her go.

But left her scared, broken.

Every night, her commander judge her in her dream with a unhappy look on his face, he accused her for letting him behind, lying in the dirt waiting for himself to be rotten, accused her of being lucky.

Every night, she is a prisoner in her own dreams, standing and waiting for the final charges, their faces looking down at her with eyes of arrow, each one impaled her heart.

And waking up and found nothing but the loud silence of the night, and the quiet tears of her eyes.

Out there, it makes hell like a paradise.

But she wasn't going there anytime soon, but even if death let her go, memories still lingering on, the faces and the voices.

Jedi are Jedi, and she was one, but could she act like one?, emotions she couldn't hid, tears she couldn't shown, stories she couldn't tell.

She was granted a leave, a permanent one, she couldn't go back out there anymore, and another one took her place in the war.

The boy was only just only a young knight, just pass his trials, so many dreams he had hoped, so many battles for him to fought, so many glories for him to take.

But sadly, a bullet to the chest was enough to end all of his youthful dreams, as she was informed, he didn't lucky enough like her to walk out of there alive, and then, another one took his place.

What are they doing?

Keeping the peace?, keeping the Republic's ideas?

Or the Jedi are just the new form of warlords?

Leading the Republic to a glorious tomorrow…

At what cost?

Maybe time will tell, or until there is no one left to tell it.

The door to her quarter slips open, and a blue skinned woman like her walks in, a Pantoran.

''You are Jedi Knight Eliza?''

''My name is Riyo Chuchi, senator of Pantora''

The Jedi forced a smile, and wonder what a senator wants from her is.

''You have honored the goddess of Pantora, a worthy children of the goddess herself, you have fought the war, and survive...''

In the young senator's hands is a golden moon, with a blue fabric on top of it, and in the center of the moon resembling her home, is a star.

Pantora's Medal of Honor, awarded to the brave soldiers of Pantora during the moon's civil conflict, and now, it was for her.

Why did she deserve it?, she didn't do anything besides being lucky to come back, and now this?

She was about to speak, when the young senator do it for her.

''I know you are thinking you are not deserve it , Master Jedi, but please, accept it for your soldiers''

''Your defeat was never recorded, it never exist''

''They said your failure in the mission was to be kept secret, it will be a media disaster if anyone knew of it''

''I tried, but, all I can do, was to ask the chairman to give you this, I'm sorry, they said they have enough defeats to worry about, so there will be no more defeats for the Republic''

''They wanted the senate's hopes to approve a new war bill''

''I'm sorry…''

So, in the end, she had fought for…nothing?

It never exists, her men died for nothing.

She can't sleep every night because of nothing?

Every memory, every face, every voice she heard, every tear she shed… all for nothing?

Because they wanted more men to go out there, and die, again with nothing?

This is the Republic's definition of keeping the peace?

Eliza feels her knees weaken, and sat down to the cold floor, the medal in her hand gripping tight.

Riyo quietly leaving the room, knowing that she couldn't do anything more for her, it's painful for herself to say this to an already broken soldier.

Who have lost a part of herself somewhere, out there, where death keeps calling her name.

The medal in her hand, the edges of the star soaked with blue blood.

She sat down to the cold hard rock of the room of the thousand fountains, close her eyes, her minds deep in uncertain thoughts.

Something was calling her from somewhere, it keeps disturbing her.

She opens her eyes

And saw the ashes flying in the air, and the rotten smell lingering.

This was not the room of thousand fountains.

And he was standing there, right at the door leading to her.

And he ran from her, the man in white with a cyan skirt around his waist.

She quickly chases after him, pushing the ashes out of the way, pushing her fears away, trying to pursuit him.

Something was wrong.

She reach the door where he once stood, and down the hallway of twisted walls, there he stood pointing at something, not at her, but to a place she couldn't see.

And he ran, again, leaving the walls and the air to suffocate, leaving her fears to devour her.

Fading screaming in the distance, sound of explosion in the air, all seems too familiar.

Hallway that stretch endlessly without an end, companied with the grey and dying sunlight.

There is no light to where he was pointing, a door.

It was her own quarter, the door slid opens

Left with the bed rolls in the middle of the room, all around it was not the walls that surround her home, but it was there, the place she doesn't want to come back the most, place where death was frowning, but now she could hear his silent smile behind her back.

In the bed rolls sat a woman, with a blue and yellow pony tail behind her back, Eliza suddenly felt the coldness running down her back.

Apart from the screaming, she heard sobs and whispers, the Jedi came closer, with each step she took, a thought clouded her mind.

Sobs turn into laughs, tears turn into happiness.

The woman in front of her stood up, and slowly turns her face toward the frightened Jedi, her sickly yellow eyes met with her light yellow one.

''Hello, Eliza, or should I call you a coward?''

It creep a smile, her body felt limp.

''Look, this is familiar to you, oh the deaths, oh the tears, oh the bloods, and little Eliza couldn't do anything but weep''

It laughs, wickedly, and points a finger at the helpless Jedi.

''They all are dead, you left them to rot, and now you are nothing but a sad little Jedi who hate herself!''

The Jedi wants to run, but her legs refuse.

''Brave soldiers…brave soldiers…come…come die with me!'' And laugh, Like a witch it laugh like in some horror holo - vid Eliza was living in, this time her leg couldn't stop her from running.

''You can't run from me, Eliza, no matter where you go, I will always be there, waiting''

''I am you''

The door to exit her room was nowhere to be found, only the wicked laugh of the witch and her despair remain with the sight of this battlefield she was standing in.

''Let it devour you, let yourself be free, let them all go like you wanted, wanting right now, join me…''

''Yoda lied, there is no peace and tranquility, all are just a lie''

''Let me be your new beginning, together we could win this war, and no one could stop us''

''No more death, no more suffering, embrace me''

The witch closing the distance, but out of instinct, she force push her, and ran, she doesn't care if she doesn't escape, she doesn't care if she is stuck in her own head, this has to stop.

She closed her eyes, wishing for all of this to leave her alone.

He was the last thing she saw, and then the nothingness swallowed her whole.

A child taught to fear of hell, and hell was close, inside her own mind, invading her, whispering to her about powers, but she will not go down that way, her men had died for nothing, but at least they died for something, and that something wasn't their general turned into the enemy, the fought and die, but sadly was forgotten.

A heart that was so fragile, yet still strong enough to resist.

Reality welcome her back, and the sound of the water falling calm her down.

Maybe the witch was right, maybe Yoda had lied, maybe peace is just a joke, the war seems like endless, the Republic walks off the right path, the Jedi are just warmongers.

What have they become?, fought this war for the senate until only ashes of their sins remain.

And no one was there to comfort her, they don't allowed attachment.

Her friends were nowhere to be found, all busy fighting this endless war.

Even the padawans now, only at young ages were pushed to the frontline with a smile and excitement, only to come back to be cremated, or lost something of their own, a body part, or their sanity.

Their youth was gone, in one single battle.

And there is nothing that she could do, besides silently watching, and volunteer to help the healers in the healing wing of the temple, at least, she could comfort some of the Jedi there, instead of sitting and doing nothing but let her fear haunting her.

She doesn't care if no one ever tells her story, because it was a story about a coward who lucky enough to survive, and never go back out there again.

But she was a great listener, their dreams, their hopes of becoming a Jedi, then the disappointment of being injured, or lost something.

They talked about the Angri – corps, or just live a normal life.

Love stories, padawans' crushes.

War found its way to her home, but it never reach her, she live thorough the event, to see the war's end.

The count was dead; this was the beginning of the end.

But death wasn't so far away, he let her go once, and now he challenges her again.

One by one she listen to their screams, and one by one they fade away, cutting down by a red blade.

The sound of amour collide with the floor bouncing off the wall, coming close to the healing wing, maybe it found her after all, the Jedi are out of use, and so these men in white was standing before her pointing their blaster at her.

She can hear death calling her name once again, and he was smiling.

Fear is natural, not a nature.

She ignited her green saber.


	3. The Civilian

** Valiant Hearts**

**Chapter 3/5: A Civilian/ A Light / A Fading Youth.**

''**Everything is beautiful''**

* * *

She woke up by a blobbing sound in the distance, and then came the brightest light she ever seen, just outside her bedroom window.

Let her small hand touch the glass, she could heard something was pattering against the cold surface, in her face grew a smile; her blanket falls to the ground.

The light shines brighter.

* * *

Something in her mind was wandering, racing, wondering what was that beautiful light last night, while she was mesmerized by its beauty, her mother storm into the room, grab her hand despite her protest, and run.

Didn't the grownups like it she asks, but her mother just shook her head, and put on her shoes, some belongings, and with her they ran into the crowds that were forming.

She doesn't understand, and her mother said she doesn't have to, just follow her and smile the biggest she could.

The grownups afraid of the lights, she understand that, because it was so bright?, but she wasn't scare, why couldn't she stays?.

She run steps by steps that her little foot could muster, trying to follow the frightened people, confuses clouded her little mind.

* * *

The sun greets her morning with its light made of gold, she quickly stands up and woke her mother with the smile her father always love, but her mother didn't return it, but just slowly run a hand through her raven long hair.

Smoothing her little dress, she held on to her mother hand, and left the forest where they spent the night, green make way for the grey color that met her eyes.

Where are all the trees she used to name?

Where are all the streets she used to walks and sings?

Where is she?

It's like a whole new different world she was standing in front, with grey lights fading, with a smell of something she could not named.

But she found it beautiful.

In the distance she could her sounds that she could not understand, but the days was always the best one, it had snow, but there is not enough snow for her to build a snow monster to play with her friends, her mother stop her from playing with the white little dusts, sometime with a little yellow with it.

But it was still great to just play with it a little while.

In the night, oh how gentle the night came, in the black night sky, there was always flashes of lights, and the blobbing sound going with the flashes, sometime the wind passed by and gently push the fire to dance, and lure the smoke away.

Ah, the beauties of annihilation…, does it always mesmerized the little girl's innocent mind?.

* * *

In her hands was a cyan little bucket made of steel, in front of her was a tall man with a bucket of his own, and behind was her mother who also have her hand tied up with two buckets.

The young little youth learned a thing or two from the days she spent here, there was something called a ''war'' and then people have to fight each other, for what she wonders?

For a princess?, or just for a magical kingdom?.

Mind for that she had none, simple because she understands, war are just games that the grownups play for something….something.

Water dripping out slowly, while she was waiting, she could see a line of people frowning behind her, why are they so unhappy?, she was just waiting for some water.

Where did the world she used to live in have gone to she wonders?, same places, same streets, same walkways, but all devoid of colors, only grey and black, and white snow.

Her and then is her mother's turn to wait, after that, she just running around thinking up of some games she could with her friends she had made, not to bothering her mother, waiting for dinner.

Or simply just sit down, and watch the line stretch like forever.

And then there is an old woman's turn, waiting for the bucket to be filled, and slowly stands up and leave, the youth wonders why she is so slow, suddenly the old woman tripped, the buckets in her trembling hands spilled.

''What a waste!''

No one help her but the little girl in white dress, slowly help her up and ask if the old are well, she just nod her head, and silent return to the back of the line, where everyone looking at the old woman with daggers.

The older woman smile to her, for the first time the youth saw a smile in this place, and that smile was for her.

* * *

Everything is beautiful….

The blue lights screaming through the cold night sky once again like it hypnotized her, as it flew passed her, into somewhere behind her, and then the red lights flew back the way the blue came.

Like a firework display she saw whenever the New Year came, but this only have two colors, blues and reds dancing in the blackened sky.

Then out of nowhere, there is a light that lost its way, non like the others, is heading down.

Suddenly she heard screams of names she didn't know, then she heard her name being called, from somewhere by her mother.

Until the old lady from yesterday jump on her quickly, making the girl confuse, the lady wants a hug?

A loud sound erupted, but she could not see what cause it, because there was a body on top of her, she could heard the dirt pattering around her.

Her mother found her, and hug her tight with tears streaming down her ashes filled face, and the old lady was just lying there, is she sleeping?, but from everyone that is looking at her and her mother and the sleeping woman with wide eyes, more questions formed.

Maybe this was out of her knowledge?

She doesn't know, and let her song she made up with her friends flying in the air silently, and the old woman quickly faded in her memories, children are children, mothers just nod and shook.

_Do you like the sky at night?_

_When the stars are shining bright?_

_Do you like it in the day?_

_When the clouds all go away?_

_What I like is the morning sun_

_Shining on me when I run_

_And I also like the rain_

_Pattering on my whitened dress._

* * *

**Part 4/5: The Trooper**


End file.
